New Addition
by TribalVipe
Summary: Shepard and Garrus welcome a new addition into their family.


A/N: Pure family fluff. Probably the fluffiest thing I've ever written. So enjoy it! I don't own ME or any of it's characters.

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"Mommy!"

Shepard groaned and turned over, pulling the covers down past her eyes to see the startling blue eyes of her baby staring back at her. His little talons were clutching the sheets, keeping his upper body barely visible while his little legs dangled over the side. The smile he gave her was undeniably adorable and despite only having gotten three full hours of sleep, she couldn't help but smile back.

"Honey, it's four in the morning. Why are you awake?"

Dax scrambled up, his little taloned feet scraping against the wood frame until his knees hit the mattress and his plated face was shoved closer to hers. Shepard had to back up a little in order to avoid a serious head butt that would leave her head aching for hours afterwards. It had happened before.

"Is my new brother here yet?"

Shepard sighed and closed her eyes, letting her head fall back against her pillow with no hope of getting anymore sleep for the day. Beside her, Garrus shifted and snored softly in his sleep, having gotten even less sleep than she had. She didn't want to wake him up when this was a talk she could handle herself.

Sitting up, she kissed her son's head briefly before throwing off the covers. She threw her legs over the side of her bed and picked up Dax, whisking him out of the room as quietly as she could.

"Mommy, when will my new brother get here?"

"Sweetie," Shepard began, sitting her son back down on his bed and covering him up with his favorite Super Mutant Krogan Rangers blanket. Daxus sighed, obviously not happy with winding back up in his own bed again. He kicked his legs out and crossed his arms in a show of childish behavior he rarely took part in.

How her and Garrus got so lucky with such a well-mannered child was beyond her. Maybe it was because he was turian? Her little boy certainly took on some key traits of his race, even if he was only four years old. Would their other little boy, who was probably asleep in his little bed at the orphanage waiting to meet them, be as well-mannered as his new brother?

Her heart fluttered in excitement just thinking about the impending morning. In just a few short hours, her and Garrus would be picking up the newest addition to their family. A little boy named Zackery, with dark brown hair and bright hazel eyes, a smile that could light up a room and heart ten times bigger than it should have been.

They'd only met the little boy twice before and both times everyone was reluctant to part ways. Zackery was shy at first, looking unsure of himself and hiding behind a nun's leg. Two minutes of goading and smiles, the little boy finally made his way over to the two and gave them hesitant hugs. The visit was short and by the end, Zackery didn't want to let go of Garrus and both of the battle hardened individuals had fallen in love all over again.

"You'll get to meet him soon, baby. But daddy and I have to go pick him up first. And while we're doing that, you and Aunt Sol are going to help get his room ready for him. Remember?"

"Yeah," Daxus said quietly, nodding and grabbing at his mother's hand that rested on his chest, "do you think he'll like me?"

"Of course. When we told him he was going to have a brother, he was so excited! He can't wait to meet you," Shepard insisted, reassuring the little boy. For the longest time after they told Dax about the adoption, the little turian hadn't stopped talking about it. Every day he would bring it up in conversation, telling his parents all of the toys he was going to share with him and all of the adventures they were going to go on.

"Ok," Dax nodded, the small smile he loved so much returning to his mandibles.

"Now go to sleep. We have a big day tomorrow," Shepard whispered, rubbing her forehead against his little one, coaxing him back into sleep in just a few short minutes.

When she made it back to her room and back under the covers, she quickly counted how much more time she could get out of the morning before she would have to be up and ready to go. Their flight was only an hour long there and back, but finalizing the paperwork and making sure Zack had everything he needed before they left for home would take a lot out of them.

"Did he go back to sleep?"

Shepard almost jumped at the deep, gravelly voice as soon as she crawled back under the covers and rested her head. She turned over and readjusted her position into the side of her husband's warm body, feeling a strong arm wrap around her back.

"Yeah…he's just a little too excited. Hopefully he'll sleep in and we can slip out before he wakes up."

Garrus hummed his response, sleep already taking over his body again and she listened to his heart beat even out and breathing slow. She fell into a dream filled sleep moments later, a smile on her face as an image of her two boys playing in their backyard appeared in her mind.

"Congratulations you two," a young nun with a bright smile opened a door and lead them out into a lobby, their footsteps echoing off the empty corridor. The scenery was familiar, as they'd been there a few times before already, but it was different than the others.

The large hall was sparsely decorated with white walls and kid's drawings. Each section of the wall represented each race the orphanage housed, unifying them as one family.

This time, instead of empty seats greeting them, a little dark haired 4-year-old boy dressed in jeans, sneakers and a blue polo shirt swung his legs in deep thought, playing with the strap of his small duffel bag. Shepard and Garrus stopped halfway down the corridor when the little boy suddenly noticed their appearance and jumped down from the chair.

There was another few seconds of hesitation on both party's parts before Zackery took off in a run, racing towards the two he had been looking forward to seeing the most in the world. Ever since he woke up that morning and helped pack his belongings, he'd been practically climbing the walls in excitement.

He launched his little body into Shepard's awaiting arms and gave her the tightest hug he could muster out of his tiny limbs. A near sob escaped the woman's mouth, but he paid it no mind because he felt like he belonged there. The way she smelled instantly comforted him and her husky voice calling him her baby wasn't something he ever would want to be without again.

He pulled back and launched himself into Garrus then, climbing up the mountain of a turian who laughed and tossed the boy up in the air. Zackery giggled and bumped his head against the turian's, remembering that was how he was supposed to show his new dad affection.

His new dad. He had a mom and dad now! Wait…was he allowed to call them that?

"Can I call you mommy and daddy?"

The first words out of the boy's mouth wasn't what they expected, but the thrill of their newly adopted son wanting to recognize them as their parents so suddenly left them with nothing but joy.

"Of course you can," Garrus said, bringing the boy close to his body. Zack snuggled into his side, instantly feeling safe and warm in his embrace. Shepard smiled warmly, wiping away some fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. The feeling of love spreading through her body as she took the two of them in.

Zackery had been there son officially for all of five minutes, but she loved this boy far before she ever knew him. Just like his brother. Her boys.

"Can I meet my brother now?"

Garrus chuckled and cradled the boy further into his side, rubbing his forehead along short brown hair on his head. Shepard took the bag from the nun who had happily brought the boys duffel over to them and waved for them to follow, wanting to get in the car and take their son away from this place.

The orphanage had been wonderful to these kids, but she was eager for Zack to start making memories with them as soon as possible. They walked to the entrance and said their goodbyes to the small party outside. Zackery happily hugged and waved goodbye to the sisters, promising in his child like enthusiasm that he would write them and visit them whenever his parents let him.

Solana watched from the bay window of his brother and sister-in-law's living room as their sky car landed. A bolt of excitement hit her as she was ready to meet her new nephew and it struck how slightly weird it was that she now had a human nephew. Of course, she was overjoyed at the prospect of having another little child to call her Auntie Sol, but she had never thought it would be to human.

Funny how life works.

The doors of the sky car opened and she got the first glimpse of the child, who happily jumped into Shepard's arms when she unstrapped him from the car seat, laughing at something he said. Garrus had a huge smile on his face as well, mandibles spread wide with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"Dax! They're here!"

Rapid little footsteps made her smile and the turian boy ran out of the playroom he was in before, making it to the front door in record time. He hit the panel and waited impatiently for it to unlock. He'd been waiting all morning and trying to read the time on the grandfather clock in the living room, asking his aunt about all kinds of questions that she did her best to answer.

Some of them were heartbreakingly innocent, like whether or not his new brother would want to use his blue Krogan Ranger cup or red Krogan Ranger cup at dinner time, or if his new brother would even like the Krogan Rangers as much as he would.

And some of them were heartbreaking in and of themselves. Questions about his new brother's real parents and if they died like his had in the war. Solana had to hide the sad mewl of her sub vocals so she didn't alarm him. Daxus Vakarian was too sweet for his own good.

Solana went to follow the little boy, who had ran out of the front door and down the sidewalk before she could even say another word. When she got to the porch, she stopped and took in the sweet picture in front of her eyes. The two little boys stood facing each other, exchanging words and observing the other with keen eyes.

Shepard and Garrus stood next to each other, able to hear the conversation and sharing happy glances with each other, although they looked somewhat nervous. Solana couldn't blame them. The decision to bring in a new child had involved long discussion, some she was privy to, but the biggest concern was Dax. He was on the receiving end of such love and affection from two caring parents, and sharing them was surely going to be very difficult for the little turian.

Little giggles were all she heard before the two boys enveloped each other in a big hug and raced towards the house. They stopped long enough for Dax to introduce his aunt to the new boy and Solana got the biggest hug she had probably ever gotten before, even though it only lasted for little more than three seconds.

After that, two pairs of little footsteps raced back into the house and more than likely into the playroom. Solana could feel nothing but joy as she looked to Garrus and Shepard, who stood embraced and nuzzling foreheads in their front yard.

There were no two beings in the universe that deserved a family and happy life than the two in front of her.


End file.
